


Queen of Hearts

by guremahishin



Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 09:52:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5452379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guremahishin/pseuds/guremahishin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in chapter 2; what Celestia said to him in the library intrigues Togami, despite himself, and his curiosity leads him to some unexpected things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Queen of Hearts

Byakuya Togami acts superior because superiority is something he had to work to achieve, and something he rightfully proved himself to be. Now, not only that, but it’s expected of him. He earned the title, now he must live up to it. The students here don’t seem to appreciate that, though -- save for one.

He would be lying if he said the whole exchange wasn’t still on his mind, but lying isn’t something he’s completely beyond, and the same goes for the person occupying his thoughts most of all.

She’s called the Queen of Liars, he’s heard. He hasn’t bothered to learn much about his classmates because none of them seem like a real enough threat in this game. She, however, seems to understand where he comes from much more thoroughly  than the rest of them do, and though her bloodline, upbringing and such are likely unimpressive, she may hold a certain amount of promise all her own.

Perhaps this Celestia Ludenberg shows promise; perhaps she’s a threat. All Togami knows is that even now, back in his dorm, the fact that she alone seemed to understand his viewpoint and not find it outrageous is lingering on his mind a bit. He shakes his head, wanting to shake himself of the interest -- particularly after so vehemently telling her not to compare him to her.

But he’s curious, now; and it’s only wise to size up the only real potential opponent at this point. So it is that he ends up ringing the doorbell of her dorm.

She takes longer to answer than he feels is appropriate, but she eventually does open the door, looking displeased.

“We established a rule about being out and about at night, did we not?” she says in place of a greeting, the frown on her face delicate and keeping from wrinkling her features too much.

He doesn’t do her the courtesy of an answer; it may as well be a rhetorical question. Of course he remembers her establishing that nonsense rule, but he has no recollection of agreeing to it, nor does he intend to.

“Humor me.” --not necessarily a phrase he’s too fond of using, but in this case... “Treat me to a show of your ultimate gambling talent.”

Celestia stares at him for a few long moments, clearly mulling things over. On the one hand, her proposed rule is being broken and altogether dismissed again -- this time, so boldly that it’s right in front of her. On the other hand, what a unique and interesting opportunity. An idea strikes her and her expression returns to a grin, now with just a touch of mischief to it.

“Very well. But know this: you will regret choosing to disregard my rule.” She makes room in the doorway for Togami, who only scoffs at her proclamation as he enters the dorm room. It hasn’t yet crossed his mind - as things of this nature often don’t - that there could be some implications of being invited into a room such as this if anyone were to see, especially with only its sole resident for company.

He’s made quite aware of it before long, though, once he and Celestia are settled in at her table. She has laid out the cards and, with a faux innocent grin, stated “Strip poker.”

“Excuse me?”

“You asked for a gamble, did you not?

“This is hardly--”

“Could it be you think you will lose?”

As he might have guessed, she knows exactly which nerve to strike. He’s not happy about the statement for a number of reasons, one being that he knows she’s got him. And she knows it too.

“Of course not!”

A small giggle. “Then let’s begin.”

In far too few turns for his liking, Togami is missing both shoes and socks, his tie, and his jacket. It’s an undignified look, and his disgruntlement is no help at all to his playing. Celestia, on the other hand, is sitting calmly across from him, missing only her shoes (one of which she took off voluntarily, and out of confidence, he suspects) and smiling coyly at him from behind her cards.

Choosing to play with her in the first place was a gamble, and it was not going at all how he would have liked. He’s considering leaving, honestly. It may make him a sore loser, but he’s never been known to be a loser in the first place, so the whole thing makes him uncomfortable for a variety of reasons.

However, the sheer gall she has to behave as she is, and the fact that he might not need to be considered a loser at all keeps him from following through on that idea. He’ll just have to try harder and succeed as a result.

He does, one way or another, manage to have the better play in the next round. He’s momentarily triumphant while at the same time reminding himself not to get ahead of things here; he still needs to catch up. However, Togami finds himself narrowing his eyes at her in suspicion and outrage. There is no reason for her to take off something as substantial as her jacket at this point, and yet she is. It makes him suspect she let him win the round and it’s infuriating. So much for maintaining a poker face.

“Whatever is the matter?” Celestia always manages to sound so innocent when he’s certain she knows exactly what the matter is.

“Nothing,” he says through gritted teeth. They both know; he’s certain. And yet they’re going to play it like this. He returns his attention to his cards, but she goes on.

“Are you certain you’re not...flustered, perhaps?”

He’s quite still except for how quickly his eyes flick back to her over his hand of cards, brow still furrowed in annoyance. He’s quite certain she knows that’s not it and he shouldn’t fall for this, and yet--

“I beg your pardon?”

She’s stifling giggles. Or perhaps only pretending to. He’s questioning her motivation in agreeing to this game at this hour now. Honestly, he probably should have been questioning that from the start. But he really has himself to blame for not crushing that curiosity; for giving in.

“What do you say we call this a practice round?” she says after a moment, delicate grin ever in place. “You can come back tomorrow evening for the main event.”

He’s not sure whether to accept, though; is this some kind of test? Does this count as failure? Even in a practice round, he finds loss unacceptable. Her question feels like a trap. She really does know him too well -- unless this, too, is just a guess, a gamble.

“If we both forfeit, there is no win, nor is there a loss. I have no wish to break my streak either, you see.” Celestia says it as if she had just read his mind. That really settles this as disconcerting, as well as worth further investigation, even at the cost of a lost card game.

It’s with a grumbled “Fine” that Togami gathers up his clothes and makes his unceremonious exit. He spends his time in the library the next day reading about poker strategies.

And that night, he returns, wondering why this sort of gamble is any sort of challenge when he’s succeeded so enormously at the stock market, which can be a gamble all its own. He assures himself that he’s coming back to claim victory and that he is not, in fact, playing into her hands. But maybe the outcome will be more indicative of that.

Things proceed similarly to the night before. He does initially take the lead, rightfully winning the rounds for her to remove both shoes before he has lost either of his. By the time he has hit the point he was at last night, she has also lost all the same plus both stockings. It’s an improvement on Togami’s part, but not a good enough one. He hasn’t won.

He’s trying not to show that he’s gritting his teeth behind his cards, but Celestia can probably tell. That thought bothers him just a bit more.

The hand he’s been dealt doesn’t look promising either. Celestia, on the other hand, looks as though she’s hiding a smile. It could be a bluff, but he isn’t able to read her that well. He can’t tell. Which is exactly what makes this a gamble.

But she, true to her title, has the upper hand in gambling.

Togami can really only blame himself for pushing it this far, or coming here at all for that matter. But of course his frustration is still directed at Celestia as he reluctantly begins to undo the buttons of his dress shirt.

Celestia only smiles pleasantly at him and asks, “Do you wish to forfeit now?”

He doesn’t answer; only crosses his arms over his chest when he finishes removing his shirt. It’s a rather childlike maneuver, but his reaction to loss is, honestly, quite like that of a spoiled child. In a way, that’s what he is when it comes to not achieving victory, but the consequences of loss have been too severe, in his experience, for him to know how to settle for it.

“Surely a person of your repute would not choose to give up. But it cannot be helped. Perhaps a change of pace is in order.” Her demeanor here is all cool professionalism, despite the lack of some clothing. Her next maneuver doesn’t suit the word “professionalism” either, but she executes it with that same style, still.

She stands from her seat, moves around to Togami’s side of the table, and plants herself on his lap. Where he has done nothing but roll his eyes, he now looks surprised. This is honestly not familiar territory at all to him.

Celestia is leaned in close the next time she speaks. “Perhaps this will be more suited to your tastes.” And before he can process much, her lips are locked with his. It doesn’t come immediately or naturally to him to respond, but somehow he ends up doing so and sinking deeper into it. His hands uncross from his chest and one finds her lower back as his eyes slide shut -- something hers have already done. He can’t tell the true purpose of this, but neither of them is backing down, as if it might be a competition still. Maybe it is.

Togami isn’t sure he would have ever been inclined to describe this as being “more suited to his tastes” prior to right now, but surprisingly, it may just be. He doesn’t know what would constitute winning in this situation, but at least losing doesn’t seem so absolute.

On the other hand, maybe Celestia actually didn’t believe this would be more suited to his tastes at all and took action with the intent to surprise him, throw him off. She’d succeeded in that much, but if that had been her assumption, perhaps he could turn the tables by being bolder than anticipated.

He has only an idea of what he’s doing, when it comes down to it, but it’s not like he’ll let on that that’s the case; besides, Togami considers himself a rather quick learner. So with little hesitation and victory somehow in mind during this, of all situations, he parts his lips and lets his tongue come into contact with her mouth.

She inhales sharply, but parts her lips as well as she rests a hand on his bare chest, between them. She leans on him there as she deftly adjusts her position - without disrupting anything, somehow - to be properly straddling him, and presses herself close, letting her hand slide up to his shoulder. The other, she uses to remove his glasses in a move he almost doesn’t feel, and then that hand is in his hair.

He’s lost track of his hands by now, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t so much as match up to her pace. It’s so easy to lose track when their mouths are parted, her tongue in his mouth and her hands in his hair, on his bare skin. But accepting the easy route is not something one of the Togami line does, much less the rightful heir.

The hand he has on Celestia’s lower back remains there, but starts stroking up and down, at some point finding a place to slip beneath her shirt. He hadn’t quite figured out what to do with the other hand so far, but now he places it on her thigh. Letting his hand roam here seems much more like a risk, especially with her skirt - like they’re right back to gambling, if they even stopped to begin with. Naturally, then, he has to allow himself to take some risk here.

But it’s then she pulls away, grinning from what he can tell without his glasses.

“My, my… _someone_ is full of surprises.”

“Are you satisfied?” he asks, meaning, of course, “Have I won this gamble?”

Celestia only laughs, that small, composed, almost mocking laugh of hers. “More than I expected to be, certainly. But this could be hardly the beginning, were you up to the challenge.”

“This is not the gamble you challenged me to; why bother?”

“I have a genuine interest in you and your standing. And you were enjoying yourself, were you not? Most men would leap at this type or opportunity, but you continue to be exceptional, I suppose.”

Togami makes a sound somewhere between annoyed and amused. “A ‘genuine interest,’ coming from the queen of liars, can’t be taken at face value, for one thing. Anyway, isn’t this enough for one night?”

He has neither confirmed or denied enjoying himself, but his question leaves room for interpretation; that they might do this again another night, and he hasn’t entirely disentangled himself from her yet. So her smiling is knowing as she does the untangling and removes herself from his lap.

“Very well. But my interest is no lie,” she assures him as he then stands and gathers his clothes. “Money, ambition, success… these are all things a gambler values on the same level as an heir. We could make a formidable pair, no?”

He only scoffs at this on his way out the door, but it would be a lie on his part to say the idea didn’t catch his attention.

**Author's Note:**

> Why is Togami thinking about winning and what someone from the Togami family would do while making out and how he should uphold that? I don't know. He's absurd. I was shaking my head the whole time. I hate this kid.


End file.
